If someone asked you to describe the physical symptoms of having a cold, you probably could. You might mention a pale expression, sweating, coughing, and bags under their eyes. We, as humans, can often look at a person and tell when something is wrong, especially if we've experienced it before.
Could you do the same thing if someone asked you to describe the physical symptoms of meth use? How confident would your answer be?
Methamphetamine is the most prevalent drug in Texas, and has been for the last few years. It has the highest number of deaths, poison control calls, and treatment admission reasons. Despite this, much is still unknown and misunderstood about meth when it comes to the average person. By talking about and understanding these topics more, our team at San Antonio Recovery Center aims to make care more accessible and less stigmatized.
Today we're going to talk about the physical signs of meth addiction, what they mean, and how you can address them.
When people think of “side effects” of something, they often think of the direct way that a substance or medication changes systems within your body. The full impact of illicit substances, like meth, however, stems from a wider range of sources than just the substance's chemical reactions.
The way someone engages with a substance, such as through a needle or by orally ingesting it, can influence what symptoms they have. Substance use, itself, also is isolating and can have an impact on a person's psyche, which trickles down into physical reactions. The long-term domino effect of substance use, such as financial and relationship strain, is another way that meth use makes itself visibly known.
All of these factors compound into the way that meth impacts someone. Now that you have a better understanding of the different sources of “side effects” of meth use, let's take a closer look at how these differ.
There are four primary methods of meth consumption: snorting, orally, injection, and smoking. Each of these methods comes with its own additional risks and side effects specific to the area most impacted by that form of use.
Snorting can lead to damage to your nasal lining. This is due to the abrasive nature of meth and the sensitivity of the inner workings of your nose. This damage can cause a runny nose and an increased risk of nosebleeds.
Oral ingestion varies but can lead to damage to your gums as well as tooth decay. Smoking, on the other hand, can cause an increased risk of lung-related conditions like pneumonia. For those who have asthma, the continued smoke added to their lungs can also trigger asthma attacks.
Finally, injection leads to an increased risk of bloodborne illness like HIV. It can also cause scarring at the injection site and even lead to damaged or collapsed veins.
Methamphetamine, commonly referred to as meth, is a form of stimulant. This means that it primarily impacts the body's central nervous system as well as your dopamine production. During meth consumption, it causes the body to “speed up” which leads to feelings of high energy, jitteriness, euphoria, and irritability.
The continued presence of meth within your body and mind also commonly leads to a disconnect from reality, known as psychosis. While psychosis isn't permanent, it can have lasting effects on someone's mental health.
The psychological effects of meth use include delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and mood disturbances. Delusions are when someone believes something to be true that isn't based in reality. Hallucinations are similar but involve when a person senses and experiences something that isn't perceived and experienced by anyone else. Paranoia and mood disturbances can lead to violent behaviors toward themselves and others.
While these symptoms primarily affect the individual's mind, they can lead to them hurting themselves and others during their moments of disconnect from reality.
Amongst those who regularly engage with meth, there is a common hallucination colloquially referred to as “meth mites.” This is the hallucination, which primarily involves physical sensation, that there are bugs crawling underneath your skin. Most often these “bugs” are on easy-to-reach parts of the skin like the arms or face.
As a result, people will pick at their skin in order to “get the bugs out” or alleviate the itchy sensation they're causing. This is the source of scabs and eventual scarring that has been labeled as “meth sores.”
Any type of substance use disorder, meth included, leads to behavioral changes related to the innate nature of substance use. People who seek out substances have an understanding of what the general population thinks about this act. That's why substance use, as a whole, can lead to an array of behavioral changes regardless of the substance of choice.
These common behavioral changes include:
When it comes to substance use, there are two primary types of side effects a person can experience: long-term and short-term. Short-term side effects are those felt during and slightly after the consumption of meth. Long-term side effects, on the other hand, appear over time as a person regularly engages with a substance. They don't go away instantly and can last for weeks, months, or even years depending on the person's continued substance use.
Most of the short-term side effects of meth use are mental ones, but there are a few physical side effects. These effects include faster heart rate, quickened breathing, nausea, decreased appetite, and sleep pattern changes.
The long-term effects of meth use won't appear on the same timeline for every person. Someone may experience multiple long-term side effects while another experiences little or no side effects. Being aware of these long-term effects is still important for monitoring your and your loved one's overall health.
The common, physical, long-term side effects of meth use include:
Not all of the side effects of meth can be easily managed without ceasing meth consumption. Many of the effects will go away on their own once meth is out of your system.
Two effects, however, can be addressed and worked on from home: tooth decay and scarring.
While scarring won't go away entirely, proper care of the site can help lessen the severity of the appearance. One of the most effective methods is through regular hydration through unscented lotions.
Depending on the severity of your dental damage, it may be prudent to first see a dentist before trying to address it yourself. Some forms of damage can be worsened without proper intervention, first. Overall, being mindful of your dental hygiene habits and trying to reestablish a routine can go a long way in negating and undoing damage done to your teeth from meth.
One of the most effective ways to address any side effects caused by meth use is through the completion of a proper meth rehab program. With help and support from a dedicated medical staff, you can safely start your journey into recovery.
A good rehab program will work with you to help you reach your personal goals for healing. If this means putting an added focus on addressing the physical side effects of meth use, your team will help construct your recovery plan around that.
Our team here at San Antonio Recovery Center understands what you're going through, and many of our highly trained and skilled staff members have been through recovery themselves. This gives us a compassionate and understanding approach to your healing journey. We just want to see you thrive. Give us a call today at 866-957-7885 and we'll help get you on the right track.
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